An update at June 1st from the Friends of Locomotive 4930 Hagley Hall is that their fundraising has passed the £100,000 mark for this Severn Valley Railway-owned locomotive, and a working party on May 30th continued the task of cleaning and painting components from the tender, in preparation for eventual refitting. There are further work parties planned and opportunities to help are open, even if you can only spare a couple of hours and have no particular engineering skills.

The following dates are the next planned dates for working parties at Bridgnorth, open to any SVR member who has completed the volunteer induction course. (Please contact the Volunteer Liaison Officer if you wish to arrange to attend an induction).

Sunday 10th July
Sunday 17th July
Saturday 6th August
Saturday 20th August
Saturday 10th September
Sunday 18th September
Approximately 0930 - 1630, but even if you can spare just a few hours, it all helps. Martin White is the primary point of contact on site.

Following the fantastic progress made on 4930 during the last week, we now report more developments which move the project further ahead. On Tuesday, during a test of the SVRís steam crane, the opportunity was taken to remove 4930ís cylinders. Here, we see the operation in progess:
Yesterday, with the cylinders removed, work to clean and prepare 4930ís frames has already begun, whilst the riveting of the tender frames continues apace, with all new steelwork at the front end now firmly in position.

Following the fantastic progress made on 4930 during the last week, we now report more developments which move the project further ahead. On Tuesday, during a test of the SVRís steam crane, the opportunity was taken to remove 4930ís cylinders. Here, we see the operation in progess:
Yesterday, with the cylinders removed, work to clean and prepare 4930ís frames has already begun, whilst the riveting of the tender frames continues apace, with all new steelwork at the front end now firmly in position.

Following the fantastic progress made on 4930 during the last week, we now report more developments which move the project further ahead. On Tuesday, during a test of the SVRís steam crane, the opportunity was taken to remove 4930ís cylinders. Here, we see the operation in progess:
Yesterday, with the cylinders removed, work to clean and prepare 4930ís frames has already begun, whilst the riveting of the tender frames continues apace, with all new steelwork at the front end now firmly in position.

Following the fantastic progress made on 4930 during the last week, we now report more developments which move the project further ahead. On Tuesday, during a test of the SVRís steam crane, the opportunity was taken to remove 4930ís cylinders. Here, we see the operation in progess:
Yesterday, with the cylinders removed, work to clean and prepare 4930ís frames has already begun, whilst the riveting of the tender frames continues apace, with all new steelwork at the front end now firmly in position.

I'm not an engineer, and appreciate that the cylinders will be fitted with liners, but does the chain used for lifting the block not cause potential damage to the inside of the cylinder?

It is one of those things where you have to be pragmatic IMHO. The cylinders are a weighty lump and the first consideration must be safety and I assume the team risk assessed the lift and concluded the safest lift was chains through the cylinders. Strop would be less damaging to the cylinders but would most likely be damaged by the sharp edges of the cylinders. I have seen film of where strops have actually failed on a lift due to sharp edges._________________Dave Scott
Bulleid and Gresley used auto couplers
Guard & dogsbody

Recent weeks have witnessed much activity on 4930's restoration. Whilst volunteers have continued the tasks of cleaning, preparing and painting of stored tender components, workshop staff and apprentices are now riveting the new cross members to the tender frames, whilst the new backplates have been riveted to the existing tender steps. Following imminent refitting of the remaining new steelwork to the front of the tender chassis, attention can then turn to the rear end, where less renewal work will be necessary. Hornguides have also been milled ready for refitting.
As a result of intensive effort by workshop staff including Ollie Huxley, Tony Pirie, Brian Humphries, and also the sterling work of Petal & Co, and at the culmination of a week of very difficult and problematic work, we are delighted to announce the final bolt holding the cylinder block to 4930's frames was finally removed late last week. Jacking tests now confirm that the cylinder block is free, and ready for removal. Great work by all involved.
In our Spring update, we were somewhat over-optimistic in the amount of time it would take to remove the bolts attaching the cylinders to the frames. These were very corroded, and the positioning of the remaining bolts has made it extremely difficult to access them with appropriate power tools. Added to this was the realisation that removal of some bolts first required the removal of the front bogie pivot casting. Upon examination, it was discovered that this component had at some time in the past been welded to the frames, but after attention by a welding torch, the pivot casting was removed early this week.